Monday 26 February 2018

Can I call this a victory?

Here follows a Council press release -

New home for Chalkwell Park’s peacocks
 

Friday 23 February 2018
Chalkwell Park’s peacocks are to be rehoused to a 24-acre private estate.

The birds, which have been at the park for many years, will be rehomed this weekend.

Cllr Ann Holland, Executive Member for Culture, Tourism and The Economy, said: “I regularly receive correspondence from local people who feel their current accommodation at the park is not large enough.

“While we have had bird experts check the premises and confirm that the accommodation is ample for the birds, I have listened to local people’s feelings and accepted an offer for them to go to a private home where they will join other peafowl.

“While many people will be sad to see the peacocks go, we can all take comfort that they are moving to a bigger home where they will have plenty of room to spread their wings and roam freely.”

Monday 19 February 2018

Top 5 Labour wards, 2001 to 2016



Following on from my previous post, here (below) is a table showing those wards that got the highest Labour vote in the local elections (2001 – 2016) in Southend-on-Sea.



1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
2001
St Luke’s
Victoria
Shoeburyness
Kursaal
Milton
2002
Victoria
St Luke’s
Milton
Kursaal
West Shoebury
2003
Victoria
Kursaal
St Luke’s
Shoeburyness
Milton
2004
Victoria
St Luke’s
Kursaal
Milton
Shoeburyness
2006
St Luke’s
Victoria
Shoeburyness
Kursaal
Milton
2007
St Luke’s
Victoria
Kursaal
Milton
Shoeburyness
2008
Kursaal
Victoria
St Luke’s
Milton
Chalkwell
2010
Victoria
St Luke’s
Kursaal
Milton
Westborough
2011
Victoria
Kursaal
Milton
St Luke’s
Westborough
2012
Victoria
Milton
Kursaal
St Luke’s
Westborough
2014
Milton
Victoria
Westborough
St Luke’s
Kursaal
2015
Milton
Victoria
Westborough
Kursaal
Prittlewell
2016
Milton
Victoria
Kursaal
Westborough
Prittlewell
                                            
Kursaal, Milton  and Victoria are ever present in the sixteen years shown here.
Victoria is either first or second in every election.
St Luke’s feature in the first eleven elections, then drop out of the top five.
Nine wards have appeared in the top five, meaning that eight have yet to make an appearance.

Achieving a first does not necessarily equate to a victory. Milton was not won in 2015, Kursaal was not won in 2008, St Luke’s was not won in 2007.

Westborough was won in 2001, yet is not in that year’s top five for Labour; and the same again in 2002.

Milton, digging in the garden of earthly delights



One of the nicer things about canvassing is the unearthing of Labour supporters, ones that we were previously unaware of. This is a frequent and regular experience in Milton ward where the support for our candidates has steadily grown. Milton was once a safe Conservative ward, and now through years of campaigning is a ward that holds good prospects for Labour. It is true that where Labour works in Southend-on-Sea we usually see success. Our best wards are those where we have put in the most effort.

In 2008 Milton had the fourth largest Labour vote in the borough, a position repeated in 2010. A year later, in 2011, the ward moved up to third place, and 2012 saw second spot achieved. In 2014 Milton ward was the number one Labour ward in Southend-on-Sea, a position they have held ever since.

In the same period Labour have ousted two Tory councillors and were unlucky not to have achieved the clean sweep in 2015.

The Green Party had not stood a candidate in Milton since 2007 when they re-appeared in 2015. Their appearance on the ballot paper certainly gave comfort to the defending Conservative councillor whose 51-vote majority was dwarfed by the 476 the Green candidate acquired.

St Luke's Voice Winter 2018/19 edition